Friday, April 26, 20196:00 - 10:30 p.m.

About the Event

On the evening of A Celebration of Terps: Featuring The Maryland Awards, the community will celebrate and honor the achievements of seven outstanding Terps. Join Maryland alumni and friends, university faculty
and leadership for this signature Alumni Association event.

Tickets to the celebration include live music, Maryland cuisine, open bar featuring signature cocktails and dancing at this high energy event.

VIP tickets include access to the award ceremony, an exclusive student performance, the celebration and a Maryland Day breakfast the following morning at The Hotel in College Park.

Complimentary valet parking and self-parking in lot Z is available for this event. To valet your car, arrive at the rotunda entrance for the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center where you will be greeted by valet staff.

A Celebration of Terps: Featuring the Maryland Awards is a high octane, fun filled evening of celebrating our common love for Maryland. There will be food, an open bar featuring signature cocktails, live music and dancing.

Both the VIP ticket and The Celebration ticket include food, dancing, live music and an open bar featuring signature cocktails. The VIP Reception ticket offers additional access to the Maryland Awards ceremony, an open bar,
additional food reception, an exclusive student performance and access to our Maryland Day Breakfast at The Hotel in College Park the following morning (April 27, 2019).

No, this is not a seated event. Tables will be available and are first come, first serve. Limited table reservations are available for purchase for up to 4 people when you register for the event. The cost for a reserved table is
$100.

SPONSORS

Florent (Flo) Groberg was named Chief of Staff for Commercial Airplanes for Boeing Commercial Airplanes in April 2018. He is responsible for simplifying and managing the management system and operating rhythm and leading a focus across the business on simplification. Previously, Groberg was director of veterans outreach and Boeing Defense, Space & Security Strategy for Boeing Global Engagement. In that role he was responsible for developing and implementing a company-wide giving and engagement strategy for Boeing’s support of military veterans and their families. He also led the company’s community engagement in the Eastern region and was based in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining Boeing, Groberg served as an official spokesperson for LinkedIn. He was responsible for the promotion of LinkedIn’s veterans program, a tailored job search tool for veterans transitioning out of military roles and into the civilian workforce. Before LinkedIn, Groberg worked as an operations officer for the U.S. Department of Defense. In this role, he served as special advisor for strategic defense projects, providing expertise to defense policymakers and military planners. Groberg’s military career began in July 2008 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. After completing officer training and both U.S. Army Airborne and U.S. Army Ranger Schools, he was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo., serving as a platoon leader. He was promoted to the rank of Army captain in July 2012. Groberg is a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military honor, for his extraordinary gallantry, intrepidity and heroism while serving in combat operations in Afghanistan in 2012. Groberg’s additional awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; the Purple Heart; the Meritorious Service Medal; the Army Commendation Medal; the Army Achievement Medal with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three Bronze Service Stars; the Global War on Terrorism Medal; the National Defense Service Medal; the Army Service Ribbon; the Overseas Service Ribbon; the NATO Medal; the Combat Infantryman Badge; the U.S. Army Parachutists Badge; the U.S. Army Ranger Tab; and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. He holds a master’s degree in management with a specialization in intelligence policies from the University of Maryland University College.

V. Raymond Ferrara, CFP® ‘70
Chair/CEO, ProVise Management Group, LLC

President’s Award

Ray graduated with a BS in Zoology in 1970. On Halloween that year he married Kim Fries of Salisbury a 1970 graduate of UM. Both have been lifetime members of the Alumni Association since. While at UM he was the Treasurer of the SGA and a disc jockey on WMUC among other activities. He serves on the BOT for the UMCP Foundation (Chair 2016-18). For 32 years he has been the Chair and CEO of ProVise Management Group, LLC a financial planning firm with $1.4 billion of assets under management based in Clearwater, FL. He is active as a volunteer both professionally (Financial Planning Association and CFP Board – Chair 2016) and in the community having been named Mr. Clearwater by the Chamber of Commerce. He was featured as one of America’s best financial planners in Secrets of the Wealth Makers and received the P. Kemp Fain Award for his qualities and contributions that demonstrated superior professionalism.

Jonathan Fix '16
Founder and Chairman, Terps Against Hunger

Outstanding Young Alumnus Award

Jonathan Fix grew up in nearby Bethesda, Maryland and graduated from UMD in 2016 with a BS in Epidemiology and Bioethics through the Individual Studies Program. Throughout his childhood, his parents emphasized the importance of giving back, which resulted in Jonathan participating in a variety of community service activities during his formative years. In December of 2013, Jonathan founded Terps Against Hunger, a student organization at UMD that hosts food packaging events both on and ooff campus and then donates the meals packed to local non-profits to support families in neighboring communities struggling with food insecurity. Since 2013, the organization has produced over 2.6 million meals with the help of over 15,000 volunteers. Jonathan is currently a PhD student in epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a focus on infectious diseases. He plans to use this training to work in international vaccine clinical trials in the future, with particular interest working in East Africa.

Anne S.K. Turkos
University Archivist Emerita

Spirit of Maryland Award

Anne Turkos is the University Archivist Emerita for the University of Maryland. She has been a part of the staff of the UMD Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives since January 1985. Before retirement in July 2017, she worked with campus departments and units, student groups, and alumni to transfer, preserve, and make available permanent university records. She also worked tirelessly to disseminate knowledge of university history and raise the profile of the University Archives through exhibits, publications, presentations, social media, digital initiatives, and helping establish the first-ever, full-semester class on UMD history. Her passion for all things UMD and her turtle collection are well-known. Anne continues to support the Archives through her work on special projects and fundraising.

Linda Powers ’15
2019 DDS candidate, University of Maryland School of Dentistry

Do Good Award

Linda Powers is a proud UMD alumna. During her time at College Park she had the opportunity to help organize multiple mission trips to provide basic dental care to underserved communities. Patients walked miles to reach the mobile clinics and were so grateful to receive treatment. Those experiences inspired her to do even more good by founding “Miles for Smiles”, a 5k event that aims to raise awareness about the importance of oral health and raise funds for future dental missions. She is graduating this May with her D.D.S. from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, where she serves as class president and remains active in volunteer work, including her annual return to McKeldin Mall to help with the Miles for Smiles 5k. She looks forward to spreading more smiles as she pursues her career in dentistry and supports the efforts of the Do Good community.

Elaine Johnson Coates ’59
LCSW-C

Elaine Johnson Coates Award

Elaine Johnson Coates was born on Sept 15, 1937 in Baltimore, MD to Robert and Alma Johnson, a railroad porter and a domestic worker. She attended segregated public schools in Baltimore and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in June of 1955. Elaine excelled and was inducted into the National Honor Society. She was excited to be the first in her family to attend college, and desired to attend the University of MD College Park, as it was the first year that Black students would be allowed to live on campus there. When Elaine’s guidance counsellor would not assist her and recommend her for a scholarship, she applied and recommended herself. Elaine received a 4 year scholarship from UMCP as well as a PTA scholarship from Frederick Douglass, and arrived in august of 1955 to commence her studies at College Park. Elaine Johnson was one of seven black students admitted to live on campus in June of 1955, and four years later, she was the single one of the 7 that remained and graduated in May of 1959. Elaine overcame isolation, racism, sexism, harassment and many forms of prejudicial treatment. She proudly obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education. Elaine went into social work initially with the Department of Social Services in Baltimore. Subsequently, she went back to teach at the still segregated Douglass High School for 2 years before marrying and moving to Florida. When she returned to Baltimore 2 years later, she returned to social work at the Dept of Social Services in Baltimore, and went on to receive her Master’s degree in Social Work, also obtained her certification as a Licensed Certified Social Worker- Clinical. Later, Elaine expanded her social service work to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, working in adult and pediatric trauma services. Elaine Johnson Coates has been retired since 2006, but continues volunteer family and individual counseling. She has also been a speaker, encouraging youth and others for upward mobility as she shares her life story, struggles, and achievement. Elaine is the proud mother of two children, Jason Coates and Dr. Tamara Coates-Walker, both graduates of the University of MD College Park. She is also the proud grandmother of two current college students, Sebastian and Paris Walker. Her legacy continues.

Steve Leonard '78
President and CEO American Bus & Sprinter Vans

Tyser Gottwals Award

Steve Leonard has been married to Anita for 40-years, has two children Christopher and Jessica and a grandson Colin. He’s the owner of American Bus & Sprinter, a commercial vehicle dealership located in Annapolis that has twice been named national “Dealer of the Year”. While attending the university he drove a bus on campus and eventually became the first General Manager of Shuttle-UM. Steve is a 1978 graduate, a Life Member of the Alumni Association, past president of the Terrapin Club, he mentors students in the Academic Achievement Program, chairs the Fearless Ideas Campaign Committee for Undergraduate Studies and he teaches a freshman class. In addition to his activities at Maryland he is a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster children and serves as Council Chair for his local church. He states what’s important in life to be Faith, Family and Friends.